Laptop

[Ron99]

My wife's several-year-old Samsung laptop died in the middle of an important Zoom meeting today (it performed windows updates this morning shortly before it died).

We spent hours trying to get it working properly but no luck and there's only so much time worth spending on an old, slow computer that's probably best replaced.

So she urgently needs a replacement.

She is ideally looking for something reliable, mid-range, screen size about 15.5" or slightly larger, Windows 10 and prefers well-known brands.

Suggestions would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
R99

[mr momo]

Got 2x Dell XPS13s for daughters at Uni. Not cheapest (got both in JL clearance) but perform well.

[Troubleatmill]

Never seen a Dell "Scratch and Dent" look less than perfect.
Just comes in a brown box

https://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/InventorySearc...

[Ham_and_Jam]

Troubleatmill said:

Never seen a Dell "Scratch and Dent" look less than perfect.
Just comes in a brown box

https://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/InventorySearc...

Let me be your eyes.

I bought a XPS13 scratch and dent 2 years ago, hoping to bag a bargain. Even at £1200 it was a fair bit cheaper than a new one, but still a chunk of money.

However when I received the laptop, it looked like someone had booted it up and down a gravel path. Even compared to their description of what a ‘scratch and dent’ consisted of, it was way worse.

Deep scratches several inches long on the top, the corners scuffed, and 2 big dents about the size of 10p coins.

After querying it, they just said it was luck of the drawer. Anyway sent back refunded.

So, I’m sure lots are OK, but definitely some duffers out there aswell .

[ninepoint2]

seller with decent feedback on e-bay should see you with a decent refurbed Dell for around the £200 mark, lot's of them about bought one for my wife and it's been faultless

[imck]

Is the 15.5" Screen essential?

A refurbished 14" Business Grade Lenovo or Dell would be my choice and readily available.
£3-400 will get you a decent Machine. Make sure it has SSD Drive.

Lots of Sellers on Ebay that specialise in ex-corporate Machines.
I currently have a Lenovo T450

[Ron99]

imck said:

Is the 15.5" Screen essential?

A refurbished 14" Business Grade Lenovo or Dell would be my choice and readily available.
£3-400 will get you a decent Machine. Make sure it has SSD Drive.

Lots of Sellers on Ebay that specialise in ex-corporate Machines.
I currently have a Lenovo T450

Yes, minimum 15.5" screen. Slightly larger would be better.

[Ron99]

Wife is not keen on refurbished (she also isn't keen on used cars) although one of my computers is a refurb'd Dell and both my cars were bought used.

After looking around, top of the wife's shortlist is currently the HP Envy x360 with 15" screen, AMD Ryzen 5 and 8GB RAM.

She needs a laptop within a couple of days so if no negative comments on that laptop she might well have ordered one by the end of the evening today.

[sgrimshaw]

Ron99 said:

Wife is not keen on refurbished (she also isn't keen on used cars) although one of my computers is a refurb'd Dell and both my cars were bought used.

After looking around, top of the wife's shortlist is currently the HP Envy x360 with 15" screen, AMD Ryzen 5 and 8GB RAM.

She needs a laptop within a couple of days so if no negative comments on that laptop she might well have ordered one by the end of the evening today.

I bought an HP Envy x360 when I was desperate, not much else available in PC World at the time.

It's was "OK" I guess. Keyboard was a PITA, so used an external keyboard.

Replaced it with a Lenovo E580 .... chalk and cheese.

[Jinx]

Ron99 said:

Wife is not keen on refurbished (she also isn't keen on used cars) although one of my computers is a refurb'd Dell and both my cars were bought used.

After looking around, top of the wife's shortlist is currently the HP Envy x360 with 15" screen, AMD Ryzen 5 and 8GB RAM.

She needs a laptop within a couple of days so if no negative comments on that laptop she might well have ordered one by the end of the evening today.

Which Ryzen 5 is it? - I'd be aiming for the 4000 series as these out perform the equivalent 10th gen Intel chips.

[Ron99]

Jinx said:

Ron99 said:

Wife is not keen on refurbished (she also isn't keen on used cars) although one of my computers is a refurb'd Dell and both my cars were bought used.

After looking around, top of the wife's shortlist is currently the HP Envy x360 with 15" screen, AMD Ryzen 5 and 8GB RAM.

She needs a laptop within a couple of days so if no negative comments on that laptop she might well have ordered one by the end of the evening today.

Which Ryzen 5 is it? - I'd be aiming for the 4000 series as these out perform the equivalent 10th gen Intel chips.

Supposedly it's Ryzen 5 4500U.

Next model up supposedly has Ryzen 7 4700U.

[Ron99]

sgrimshaw said:

I bought an HP Envy x360 when I was desperate, not much else available in PC World at the time.

It's was "OK" I guess. Keyboard was a PITA, so used an external keyboard.

Replaced it with a Lenovo E580 .... chalk and cheese.

Thanks.
Why was the keyboard a PITA?

Where can I find a Lenovo E580?

Edited by Ron99 on Wednesday 26th August 14:24

[geeks]

Ron99 said:

Jinx said:

Ron99 said:

Wife is not keen on refurbished (she also isn't keen on used cars) although one of my computers is a refurb'd Dell and both my cars were bought used.

After looking around, top of the wife's shortlist is currently the HP Envy x360 with 15" screen, AMD Ryzen 5 and 8GB RAM.

She needs a laptop within a couple of days so if no negative comments on that laptop she might well have ordered one by the end of the evening today.

Which Ryzen 5 is it? - I'd be aiming for the 4000 series as these out perform the equivalent 10th gen Intel chips.

Supposedly it's Ryzen 5 4500U.

Next model up supposedly has Ryzen 7 4700U.

Mrs geeks has one of these (it's the convertible with a touch screen) it's ok for what it is and what she wants from it but they are so wafer thin they have heat displacement issues so the fan is always wiring and also they come with piss all onboard storage relying on a MircoSD card to expand said storage, fine for files, fk all use for applications!

Like I say for her it's fine, for me it would have gone back already.

[FHCNICK]

Fair selection at Scan from alternative manufacturers:

https://www.scan.co.uk/shop/computer-hardware/lapt...

[CDP]

I wouldn't buy a consumer grade laptop again.

The business spec are barely any more expensive and don't come with all the "free" rubbish. They also tend to be better built and often have onsite maintenance available or bundled in.

I'm on my second Dell Outlet laptop though there was a dip in quality with the Latitudes a few years back this one is good but nothing on my 12 year old magnesium cased Precision which though expensive in terms of service was worth every penny and much more. The Precision is long in the tooth now but still works well despite always being carried about and getting 40 hours + every week for many years.

Lenovo and HP seem good bets too.

My Apple Mac Mini is from mid 2011 and with upgraded RAM and SSD still excellent - I dislike the way RAM is soldered on a lot of the newer models but my ex was able to upgrade the non-standard SSD on her macbook pro herself despite it not being officially upgradable.

[Monty Python]

Don't know it f this is in budget: https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asus-ryzen-7-3700u...

[sgrimshaw]

Ron99 said:

Why was the keyboard a PITA?

Where can I find a Lenovo E580?

Very short key travel and an intermittant problem with the "g" key .. sometimes it wouldn't register.

Looks like the Lenovo E580 has been replaced, looks like E15 is it's replacement.

This is the comparable one to my E580:

https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/lenovo-thinkpad-e1...

Lower spec, lower cost options are available.

I've since added a second M2 SSD and maxed out the RAM. Fastest laptop I've ever had.

[ninepoint2]

Ron99 said:

Wife is not keen on refurbished (she also isn't keen on used cars) although one of my computers is a refurb'd Dell and both my cars were bought used.

After looking around, top of the wife's shortlist is currently the HP Envy x360 with 15" screen, AMD Ryzen 5 and 8GB RAM.

She needs a laptop within a couple of days so if no negative comments on that laptop she might well have ordered one by the end of the evening today.

Sounds "high maintenance" ditch her for a cheaper model

[dieselgrunt]

Great keyboards on Lenovo’s.

[Ron99]

ninepoint2 said:

Sounds "high maintenance" ditch her for a cheaper model

Could've done with that advice 20-odd years ago.